Electrical connector arrangement



Feb. 11,' 1941. F. E. BAUM ELECTRICAL CONNECTDR ARRANGEBNT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 20, 19.;8

INVENTOR;

w M w W m w A mg.

Feb. 11-, 1941. B U 2,231,149

Y ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ARRANGBIBNT Filed Jan. 20. 1938 5 Shuts-Sheet 2 PELATIVELY Mot 4551.5

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 11, 1941. F. E. BAUM I ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ARRANGEIBl JT Filed Jab. 20, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q a W b 9 m m I! I! I! m m v m m A 7 6 3 I u m a 4 r r m 8 INVEN TOR I? EDWIN 840M ATTORNEY.

Feb. 11, 1941. F. EL'BAUM 2,231,149

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ARRANGEIENT I Filed Jan. 20,1958 s Shasta-Sheet 4 REL A 7-1 vs; Y Maw/v21. 5

/?N DWINBAl/M ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 11 194i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR ARRANGEMENT Frank Edwin Baum, Amherst, Great Baddow,

Chelr'nai'ord, England, alsignor to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation Delaware Application January .20, 1938, Serial No. 185,800

. In Great Britain January 21, 1937 I 10 Claims. (or. 113-324) This invention relates'to electrical connector arrangements and more particular to such arnectors for use in tanks, armoured cars and the like for connecting apparatus in the main body.

10 or hull to apparatus in the rotary turret.

In practice, supplies which are frequently required to be brought from the hull of a tank to the turret are- (1) Water supplies (flow and return) for cool- 15 ing the gun;

(2) If (1) above is not required it is oite required to carry an electric supply into the turret to operate a motor driven pump positioned therein and producing the necessary. watercir- 20 culation for the gun:

(3) A voice pipe for allowing conversation between a gunner situated in the turret and the driver in the hull; and

(4) Electrical supply for operation of wireless 25 or radio apparatus and other purposes.

Where the second of the above requirements is present instead of the first, the wireless or radio supply cables may also be utilized for carrying the electrict current to work the pump.

30 A difllculty which arises in tanks and in other cases where it is .required to carry supplies, including an electric supply from a main hull to a rotary turret or the like, is that the rotation of the turret produces a twisting action in the electrical 85 connections and known apparatus for avoid-.

ing this difficulty is either undesirably-complex or is not adapted to allow of a reasonably large number of supplies to be taken: The usual method employed hitherto in tanks consists in 40 utilizing a rotary connector fixed to the floor of According to the main feature of this invention,

50 an arrangement for carrying supplies, including at least one electric supply, from the hull of a tank (or some other relatively fixed body) to the turret oi a tank (or some other relatively rotary body) is characterized in that the electrical sup- 55' ply connections between the relatively fixed and the relatively rotary bodies include brush contact devices or the equivalent the leads to which are carried upon a member which is automatically ro-' tated when relative rotation between the two said bodies takes places so that twisting oi. the con- 5 nectors is avoided.

According to another feature of this invention, an arrangement for carrying supplies, including at least one electric supply, from the hull of a tank (or someother relatively fixed body) to the turret of a tank (or some other relatively rotary body) is characterized in that the electrical supply connections between the relatively fixed and the relatively rotary bodies include slip ring contact devices or the equivalent, the leads to which are carried upon a member which is automatic ally rotated when relative rotation between the two said bodies takes place so that twisting of the connectors is avoided. I

- A preferred embodiment of the invention for use in a tank is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: f

Fig. l is a sideelevation; Fig. 2 is a front elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig.

2 of the said embodiment;

Fig. 4 shows a sectional view of a portion of the turret and tanlchull to indicate the relative position of the connector arrangement of this inven-' tion;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of another modified form of this invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the center of Fig. 5 and in a plane parallel to the paper; and

Fig. '7 is a sectional view of the turret and hull portion showing the relative position of the connector arrangement of Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, an outer drum member I and a disc 8 constitute a structure or casing which, as a whole, is attached vertically in 40 any convenient way, as by means of a bracket, as a fixture to the rotary turret, so that this structure revolves as a whole with the turret about the center of rotation of the latter. The structure is so fixed to the turret that the drum l is relatively to the turret, a fixture but the disc 8 is adapted to rotate, relatively to drum I about its own center. The drum carries an insulated ring 2 to which are attached two contact rings 3 and 4. Circular disc-like brushes 5 carried on an insulating member 8 make contact with the rings lffthe said brushes being constructedin any convenient manner known per se to give eflicient electrical contact.

, The insulating member 6 which is carried'by s5 other end of the member 6 being a bearing fit in a disc member 8 hereinafter referred to as the carrier disc.

The carrier disc 8 is actually formed as a spur gear, the teeth being indicated at 8a, and this gear is rotated concentrically on a center boss Ia formed on the drum I, by means of a driving pinion 8 which is mechanically connected by a shaft I8 with a toothed wheel II which meshes at right-angles in the teeth of an internallycut gear wheel I2, the center of which is assumed to be at a point to the left of Fig. 3, fixed to the hull of the tank.

The water supply pipes for the gun (flow and return) come up from an axially positioned rotary connector of known construction (not shown) on the floor of the tank and pass at lb through a central aperture in the drum I, these pipes I3, I4, being uninterrupted where they pass through the drum I. Twin cables for wireless (electrical) supplies are led up from their own rotary connector (not shown)also of known construction and arranged on the floor of the tank-and are connected to the disc brushes. As shown, a flexible double conductor cable I5 is connected via a plug and socket arrangement I6 to the disc brushes 5. As will be apparent from the drawings, when the turret is rotated (this is accomplished in the ordinary way by means of handwheel H and pinion P fixed to the turret and working on the fixed internal gear ,I2) a circular movement is transmitted to the carrier disc 8 via the toothed wheel -II and pinion 9 and these parts are so arranged that for one revolution of the turret about its axis,

that is about the center of wheel I2, the carrier disc rotates once about its own axis, thus counteracting any tendency which the cable l5, water pipes I3, I4, and a voice pipe (referred to below) have to twist about each other. As

the insulator 6 for the disc brushes is carried on cause rotation of the member 6 on its own axis.

In this way, twisting of'the cables is prevented and at the same time a self-cleaning or wiping action is obtained at the brush contacts.

IB represents the voice pipe inlet and I! the with the turret and provide a continuous channel for the sound waves which will enter the voice pipe by means of the slot.

Although. in Fig. 3 the voice 'pipe inlet is shown nearer the axis of the carrier disc than is the electric supply it could, if desired, be at the same or any other radial distance from .the said -To facilitate standardization of the apparatus for different tanks-it being assumed that all tanks have internally cut gears I2 of the same tooth pitch, means are preferably providedfor varying, from tank to tank, the travel of the carrier disc in dependence upon the size of the tank. A small tank may, therefore, taken as a basis for standardization and cams such as 2| may be introduced on the internally cut gears I2 in the case of larger tanks, the purpose of the cam 2I being to throw the toothed wheel II out of mesh at predetermined positions and for sufficient space to allow only one complete revolution of the disc 8 to occur for one complete revolution of the turret in either direction. In order to render this "throw out operation possible, the bearings 22 of the shaft I8 are spring loaded, a collar 23 between the bearings allowing the desired movement (which is pivotal about a point at 8a where the disc 8 and pinion 8 mesh) and throw out action.

In the modifications illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, as also in the arrangements already described, it will be supposed that it is required to provide for the supplies of water for e. g. gun cooling, electric power for wireless and other purposes, and for voice, although, of .course, any convenient number and nature of supplies may be pro-. vided for.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6,.I8I is abase in which are arranged flow and return chambers Ma and IN b, connections to these chambers bgisng effected through junction pipes I82 and A vertical flow pipe I84 is welded concentrically within a return pipe I85, the latter of which is a bearing fit in, casting I8I. Pipe I85 is provided mth holes I850. and I85?) whereby a continuous flow of water into and out of the pipe I85 is effected. Special glands with locking rings at I86 (comprising special Waterproof lining rings, wedge shape compression was-hers,

compression springs, and locking rings) prevent leakage from either of the chambers I8Ia or I8Ib and chamber I8Ia is closed at the bottom by means of a plate I81 and gasket I88. The

bottom gland ring is arranged to prevent any upward movement of pipes I84 and I85, and to prevent upward leakage into the electrical portion of the unit, a. groove I8Ic in the base IN is provided round pipe I85, draining holes or ducts I8Id conununicating with this groove.

.A rotatable casting I88 is provided with flow and return chambers I88a and I882), the latter communicating with pipe I85 by means of holes I85b therein. Junction pipes H8 and III communicate respectively with chambers I88a and I88b. Pipes I82, I83, H8 and III may be 0on nected in any convenient manner, e. g. by screws with external supply pipes.

The casting I88 is provided also with a flange I88c within which is a split voice pipe II2, com-.

municating with a voice pipe I I3 leading into the turret. Around the shank of casting I88 are provided insulating rings I I4 and I I5 which carry slip rings "Ga and 6b for the electric power supply Connection to these slip rings is made through a plug I 24 mounted on the flange I880. Mounted on the base casting I8I is a plate IIB which carries leaf brush springs I". These brushes I I1 are provided with plugs I I8 by means of which they are connected to an incoming supply socket I28 with which a. spring clip I280 ena es.

' The voice pipe II2, within flange 188e, is held rigid by supports from plate I I8 and an incoming plate I. A spun cover I23 is fixedto the flanle I080 to preclude the entry of dirt, etc.

In operation, water is pumped through pipes I02 into chamber IBM and via pipe Iill into chamber 109a whence it passes through pipe I ll away to, e. g. a gun. The return is from the gun through pipe Ill chamber Ill9b, the pipe hole "lib in pipe I35, by way of pipe I05, through a lower hole "5a, into chamber lillb and back to the supplythrough pipe I03. Conversation between the driver and an operator in the turret is eilected by way of pipe I2 I which is connected to pipe H2, then by way 01' pipe H2 and out to the operator by way of pipe H3. The electrical supply is connected by sockets I20 to plugs H9 and thence byway o1 brushes I I1, slip rings I I60. and to, to plug I24. The rotatable casting is driven from the turret by means of suitable pro- 2 jections or any other suitable means depending on the conditions under which the apparatus is operating so, that as the turret revolves, the casting I09 rotates with it and the various connections from this casting also revolve and thus obviate twisting or crossing of the connections.

The whole unit is rigid and compact and takes vention.

What is claimed is:

g 1. A system for carrying fluid supplies including at least one electrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively rotatable body comprising a casing having a. drum portion and a disc portion, a fluid supply pipe passing through said casing: a plurality of collector rings for electrical supply connections arranged within saidcasing and secured to said drum portion, means for making electrical connection to said cellector rings including a brush contact device within said' casing and carried by said disc portion, a plurality of leads connected to and extending out of said casing from said brush contact device, and means engaging said disc portion to automatically rotate it when relative motion between the two said bodies takes place so that twisting of the leads for the electrical connections is avoided.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said casing is fixedly-attached as a whole to the relatively rotatable body, said rotatable body being adapted to be rotated relative to the disc portion of said casing about its own. axis as said casing revolves around the center of rotation of said relatively rotatable body.

3. A system for carrying fluid supplies includ ing at least one electrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively rotatable body comprising a casing having a drum and a disc portion, a

said disc portion and fixedly attached to said rel- I a bearing for a rotatable member to rotate said disc member.

4. A system for carrying fluid supplies ineluding at least one electrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively rotatable body comprising'a. casing havin a drum and a disc portion, .a plurality of. collector rings for electrical supply connections arranged within the casing, means to make electrical connection to said collector rings including a brush contact device within said casing and carried by said disc portion, a plurality of. leads connected to and extending out of said casing from said brush contact device for completing the electrical circuit from said rings to said electrical supply connections, a spur gear on said disc, driving means includin a pinion with a bearing on said drum portion for cooperating with said spur gear to provide rotary movement of said disc portion as it is carried by said relatively rotatable body around the center of rotation thereof.

5. A system for carrying fluid supplies including at least one electrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively rotatable body comprising a casing member having a drum and a disc portion, a plurality of electrical supply connections which are arranged within the casing, a plurality of collector rings within said casing, a brush co'ntact device within said casing, a plurality of leads connected to and extending out of said casing from said'brush contact device to make electrical connections from said collector rings to said electrical supply connections, a member comprising a spur gear carried by said drum portion, driving means including a pinion cooperating with said spur gear to provide rotary movement 0! said disc portion, and a shaft keyed to said pinion, said pinion engaging saidspur .gear with a gear fixedly attached to said rela-' and outlet voice pipes communicate.

'1. A system for carrying fluid supplies including at least one electrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively rotatable body comprising a casing member having a drum and a disc portion, a plurality of collector rings for electrical supply connections which are arranged within the casing, a brush contact device within said casing, a plurality of leads connected to and extending out of said casing from said brush contact device, means to rotate said casing, an inlet voice pipe carried by the disc portion of said casing and cooperating with an annularly disposed voice channel located in the drum portion and provided with a slotted portion located adjacent said inlet voice pipe to complete the continuity of said voice pipe when said casing is rotated.

8. A system for carrying fluid supplies including at least one electrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively movable body comprising a casing having a drum and a disc portion, fluid supply means passing through the center of said casing, a vocaltube located in said cas-Q ing adjacent said fluid supply means, a plurality of collector rings within said casing and secured to be fixed relative to said disc portion, a pinrality of brushes within said casing for making electrical connection to said rings, and means to rotate said casing relative to said fixed body.

9. A system for carrying fluid supplies including at least one electrical supply from a relative ly fixed body to a relatively movable body including the combination of a fluid supply tube, a vocal tube and electrical connection means all I located within a. casing, said casing divided into a fixed and a movable portion, and means external of said casing ,to connect said vocal tube.

and electrical connections from the movable portion of said casing to the fixed body.

10. A systemlfor carrying fluid supplies ineluding at least oneelectrical supply from a relatively fixed body to a relatively movable body including the combination of a fluid supply tube, a vocal tube and electrical connection means all located within a casing, said casing being divided 5 into a disc and a drum portion, means to rotate said disc portion with respect to said drum portion, and means external 0! said casing to con nect said vocal tube and electrical connection from said disc and drum portion to said fixed 10 body when relative motion is applied to said movable body.'

' FRANK EDWIN BAUM. 

